Apparatus for forming slack barrels



May 15, 1956 A. H. SNIPES APPARATUS FOR FORMING SLACK BARRELS Filed Sept. 20 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet l F Z INVENTOR filo/s H Snipes BY (h A ()RNEY May 15, 1956 A. H. SNIPES 2,745,455

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SLACK BARRELS Filed Sept. 20, 1952 e Sheets-Sheet 2 F Z7 INVENTUR fl/w's Sm beS BY Q) 340mg,

TTUIQNEY May 15, 1956 A. H. SNIPES 2,745,455

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SLACK BARRELS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 20, 1952 INVENTOR M 01.81 40 BY %NEY y 5, 1956 A. H. SNIPES 2,745,455

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SLACK BARRELS Filed Sept. 20, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 \I 7 x I;

57. 10 Am; f/ sn/ 'oes BY a INVENTOR v May 15, 1956 A. H. SNIPES 2,745,455

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SLACK BARRELS Filed Sept. 20, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTL R A/w's f7. Sn/pes ATTK RNEY United States Patent O 2,745,455 APPARATUS non FORMING SLACK BARRELS Alvis H. Snipes, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Greif Bros. Cooperage Corporation, Delaware, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to an improvement in method and apparatus for forming slack barrels and deals particularly with a means of simplifying the barrel producing operation. 1

The production of slack barrels usually requires considerable equipment and a crew of substantial size if all of the operations are to take place simultaneously. If but a small number of barrels is required this may be done by a small crew using but one machine at a time; but as there are several pieces of equipment normally required in the forming operation, this means that a substantial investment must be made for a relatively small return. Slack barrels are of such dimensions that shipment by freight or truck for long distances is uneconomical. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method of producing slack barrels which can be economically carried on by a single operator if necessary without the usual loss of economy.

Slack barrels normally require several steps during the assembly process. The staves are usually cut' longitudinally to form the proper bulge at the center of the barrel. The staves are then assembled in a setting up and windlassing machine. In this machine the lower ends of the staves are arranged in a circular groove, and a cable is placed to encircle the upper ends of the staves. This'cable is tightened in a loop, drawing in all of the staves equally until the edges of the staves are in edge abutting relation throughout their length. A temporary retaining ring is placed about each end of the barrel, completing the operation upon the setting up and windlassing machine. I

The barrel is next delivered to a trussing machine. Two wire hoops are usually placed to encircle a barrel at a point spaced from the ends thereof and the trussing machine forces these wire hoops into the proper position to further hold the barrel in its assembled form.

The trussed barrel is then delivered to a suitable apparatus for crozing the ends of the staves, chamfering the same and howeling them. During this operation the ends of the staves are equalized, the croze or groove for the receiving edge of the barrel head is provided and the ends of the staves are beveled or chamfered to receive the head. The barrels are next delivered to the heading machine which inserts a head in one end of the barrel. A hoop is next applied to atleast one end of the barrel and this hoop is driven into position by a hoop driving machine. All of these machines are relatively large and expensive and therefore a considerable investment is normally required to produce slack barrels. v

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing slack barrels with a relatively small investment. As a result the co'operage company can set up small plants in various localities and operate these plants with one or twocoopers. Thus the barrels may be economically produced near the point where they are used, reducing the costof transporting the. completed barrels. T

An added featureof the present invention resides in "ice '2 the provision of a simple and effective means of producing slack barrels in a small portion of the time previously required. A minimum of equipment is required for this operation.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a slack barrel forming apparatus which employs staves which are crozed before the barrel is assembled. Means are provided to expand into the groove or croze at one end of the ring of staves to hold this end of the staves stationary during the windlassing operation or drawing together the upper ends of the staves. A barrel head is applied during the windlassing operation and the hoops may also be applied while the barrel is in this form. At the completion of this operation it is only necessary to apply a final hoop or wire about the barrel near its lower end in order to complete the barrel.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of the barrel forming apparatus showing in general the construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the barrel partially formed.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus for holding and regulating the position of the staves, the top guard plate being omitted to clarify the illustration.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the apparatus shown in Figure 3, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a. side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus, certain of the parts being broken away.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the base upon which the barrel is assembled.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the bottom portion of the base illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the finished barrel.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a stave used in the formation of the barrel illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a sectional View through the barrel showing the head in place therein.

Figure 11 is a plan view of a modified form of slack barrel forming apparatus.

Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a sectional view on the line 13-13 of Figure 11.

In the past it has been common practice to produce slack barrels from slats of wood cut to random widths and then cut to provide outwardly bowed opposite sides. It has been found that the staves can be economically crozed and chamfered before these operations take place. For example, the slats may be milled out at the ends with milling cutters to produce the desired groove and bevel at each end of the board. These operations may take place before the board is cut into rounded form if desired.

Accordingly in forming the barrels, staves of the type illustrated in Figure 9 are employed. Each stave is provided with longitudinally rounded side edges 10 and 11 which make the body of the stave 12 wider at its center point intermediate its ends. A generally V-shaped groove or croze 13 is cut into each end of the stave and the stave ends are chamfered or beveled as indicated at 14. These last operations which normally are performed after the barrel has been assembled may be more economically performed while the stave is unassembled.

The formation of the barrel is efiected through the use of a modified form of setting up and windlassing machine indicated in general by the letter A. This device incorporates certain features which are well known in the art, but also adds certain additional features which have not previously been used. The set up machine A includes a base portion indicated in general by the numeral15 and This base includes upper and lower parts which are generallybest illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings.

similar in shape. Figure 6 illustrates the upper portion 16 of the base resting upon the lower portionl7 best illustrated in Figure 7. While the particular shape and form gated base portion 20. A'pair of parallel bearing portions 21 and 22 are provided at opposite endsof the transverselyextending member 20. Brace arms 23'and 24extend diagonally from the bearing portions-21 and 22tothe elongated base portion 19. A bearing portion 25. is also pro vided at the end of the base portion 19 opposite that connected to the cross member 20.

The bottom frame portion 17 is virtually identical. withv the frame portion 16. The portion 19 includesv an elongated base portion 26 which is'connected at oneendto the center of a transverse base member 27. Bearing portions 29 and 30 are secured in parallel-relation at opposite ends of the transverse member 27 and brace. arms 31 and 32extend from'the bearing portions 29and30; to the base portion 26. A hearing portion 33'is provided on the end ofrthe base member 26 opposite the end connected to the transverse member 27.

As best illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, thebearing portions 2 9, 30- and 33 are provided with elongated parallel grooves 34, 35, and 36- respectively. These grooves are designedto accommodate a ball bearing, the. ball bearings being illustrated at 37, 39 and 40. The

bearing portions 21, Hand of theupperfram'eportion.

16 are also provided with elongated grooves 41, 42. and

43. The grooves are slightly lessythan'semi-circularin' section so that the bearings extend between the twosections of the base and permitrelative longitudinal movement in a-direction parallel to the. axes of the various grooves. V A bolt 44 extends ,through'a slot 45 in the. upper frame member 16 and intothe 'lowerframe. member. 17. to

hold the two base portions assembled and tovlimit-the extending into the floor or foundation. The uppenframe member 16 is-jprovidedwith-upwardly extending: lugs '50, 51 and 52 which are designed to extend into a portionof= the movable portion of thesetting up apparatus toconnect the base thereto. V V

A generally ring shaped frame 53 is secured to the upper support thereby. A, series of links 65 are pivotally con ninety degrees apart. and are pivotally connected at 67 to a corresponding quadrant 56. These links 65 are normally angularly related relative to a radial line from the center of the disc 62. Upon rotation of thedisc 62in a clockwise direction as viewed inFigure 1, the quadrants56 are urged-outwardly. Upon rotation of the disc 62 in the'opposite direction, the quadrants" 56 are'drawn inwardly. Thus the outer periphery formed by the quadrants may be increasedor decreased by operation of the disc [62.

In. orderto rotate this'disc 62 an;arm 69 is connected:

to the undersurface ofthe disc to rotate in unison therewith. The arm 69-is connected by a clevis 70 to a piston rod 71 of a piston within the cylinder 72, Thepiston conlongitudinal movement of the upper section relativei-tosthe 'lower section, l

Anchoring flanges 46, 47 and 491a1'e provided uponzthelower frame member. 17 to'accommodate anchoningzbolts section 16 of the basefor movement in conjunction-there.-

with. A spacing ring 54.0V81'll85'lh6'ff81118 53 and is secured thereto. the frame to extend upwardly therefrom in spaced-relation to the outer circumferencev of'the ring54 The spacingbetween the rings 54 and 55 is'sufiicient to accommodatet the lower ends of the staves 12.

With reference now toFigure 3 of thedrawings, it will be noted that four quadrant plates 56-are slidably supported upon the ring 54. Each quadrant'plate is provided with a pair of aligned radiallyextending slots 57 extending therethrongh. The slots 57are positioned at an angle of" forty-five degrees from the marginal edges 59 and 60 of the individual quadrants. Bolts 61 extend through the slots 57 and through the ring shaped plate 54 and are and the flange 63 engages over the. edge of:the:.ring;fon

A. peripheral ring 55 is also, secured to 56. are: provided'with wedge shaped-outer peripheries as.

indicated at,. 7 3.. As also illustrated inthis figure, the quadrants 56 act upon outward movement-to engage into the grooveor croze Eat the lower end of each stave. Thusthe staves arenot-only held improper relation but:

are also. properly aligned longitudinally by the expanding quadrants as the wedgeshapedend oi each quadrant will engage. inthe'croze of'thestaves-which it contacts and will move the staves into proper relation so thatthe croze is continuous whenthe barrel is completed. I

As indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings each side-edge 60.01? a quadrant 56: is notched as' indicated at'74' toaccommodate abushingJS having a projecting-pin of smaller diameter extendingupwardlyfrom the center thereof as indicated at- 76, A guard plate- 77 is providedwith angularly spacedapertures to fitup'onthe bushings 74;

thepins-75.1extending. through suitable. apertures in-theguard plate. This.plate is illustrated in Figures 1 and.4; of the drawings andzserves merely to cover the operating mechanism and to act as anadditional guide in the stave assembly operation. v

With .referencenow to Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings,

a pair of upwardly extending standards- 79 are provided in angularlyfsp acedrelation from the frame53; Brackets- 80:are adjustably supported by the standards 79-and3 aresecured thereto by clamping bolts 81. The brackets 80,

support a; guard ring-V82 to-serve as aguide in aligning the barrel staves. Outwardly inclining fingers v83: are

mounted ;t1p,0n:thc ring 8 2 to. assist :inv guiding a;b arrel-:en-f circling .hoop intov proper position toencircle-the .barrelr as it is formed:

The: windlassing machine is: indicated: at B -in Figures 1 and 12 ;;of :the. drawings, this device: being generally conventionalr'in form. The windlassing device includes a cable-85 which is designed to' encircle the upper ends of the staves=whfen assembled in'order to draw them to getherin the formation of the barrel.

the art, the structure is not shownjn detail.

Abarrel heading device issuppoi-ted closely adjacent to. the setting 'up and windlassingapparatus. This device includesa. suction: fan:86 which isdriven by a; motor; 87 r or. by.any other. suitable-sourceof powerandi'amelbow' 89-connected=to theintalre. of the-suction fan '86. The T elbow 8 9-isyconnected by=a=verticaltubular conduit-90 to .a; laterally extending arm .91 which is :connectedto the vertical tubular: member. 90 by:a;swive1.-connection93l' A .suctiomplatewziis: connected to .therlaterally extending I Y member 91 through a suitable elbow 94; The-suctiorr' plate :92iiscirci1larrii1 farmland; is designedto'"-=pick UP V The windlass'ing machine includes'suitable pulley guides and a means of drawing the cable loop 85"'tightly, about the barrel. 7 As the detaiPcOnstructionOf this'device is well known in].

angers a circular barrel head 95 and to properly position it Within the barrel being formed. 7

The barrel heading apparatus C also includes a-cylindrical hopper 96 for accommodating a'series of barrel heads 95 in superimposed relation. A recessed slide 97 is slidable beneath the hopper 96 and the lowermost barrel head of the series may drop into the receiving recess in the slide 97. By moving the slide 97 laterally the lowermost barrel head is moved from beneath the hopper 96 into position where it may be picked up by the suction plate 92.

In carrying out the method and in operating the apparatus the following steps are taken. First a temporary hoop is inserted into the retaining ring 82 to serve temporarily as a means of holding the lower end of the barrel in proper form when removed from the setting up and windlassing machine. The staves 12 are assembled in the setting up machine, the lower ends of the staves being inserted between the ring 54 and the ring 55. Staves of the proper width are provided so that the ring of staves is continuous between these rings 54 and 55.

The windlassing cable 85 then encircles the keg. The

cable is lifted so as to encircle the barrel near the upper extremity thereof and a suitable foot control 99 is actuated which causes the windlas'sing coil to tighten about the barrel staves, gradually drawing them together at their upper ends. As the circumference of the loop decreases the upper base portion 16 and the mechanism supported thereby is gradually moved rearwardly so that the direct pull upon the cable may compress the upper ends of the staves together.

When the staves are almost in edge abutting relation the heading machine C is actuated. The suction plate 92 picks up a barrel head 95 from a recess in the slide 97 and this head is swung into position within the barrel. The tightening operation is continued until the wedge shaped marginal edge 100 of the barrel head engages in the chimes 13 of the assembled hoops.

While still retaining the windlassing coil in position a hoop is placed about the upper end of the barrel to hold the staves in their proper position. The Windlass coil is then loosened and swung from around the barrel. The barrel is then removed and is virtually complete.

Wire trusses 101 and 102 are placed about the barrel and a similar truss 103 is placed about the barrel near the open lower end thereof before the temporary hoop is removed. When the trusses and hoops have been driven into position and fastened in place the barrel is complete. L

Thus it will be seen that in producing barrels by the present method only two machines are required in place of the numerous machines previously required. The staves are furnished ready for use and can be easily changed without a. resulting loss of economy. Before completion the staves are grooved and chamfered in the manner illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings.

In the past it has been impractical to insert the head of a barrel in place during the setting up operation as the staves had. not been crozed and chamfered at this stage of the assembly. With the present method the heading apparatus comprises a part of the assembly or setting up operation and the Windlass in tightening the staves also secures thebarrel headin place. This eliminates the requirement for a header for inserting the heads into the barrels after the crozing and chamfering operation. No force is required to press the head in place as the head may be held in proper location while the staves are tightened about the same. Thus one machine previously required in the production of slack barrels may be eliminated. As the staves may be milled out into the proper end shape before the formation of the stave if desired, the requirement for an expensive crozing machine is eliminated and the requirement for a chamfering and howeling machine is eliminated. While a 6 somewhat difierent' apparatus is employed to cut the grooves and to bevel the stave ends, this mechanism is relatively simple and inexpensive as compared to a regu lar slack barrel crozing machine or a regular slack barrel chamfering and howeling machine.

By preforming the staves with the croze and bevel thereupon previous to the erection of the barrel, the staves and heads may be furnished the cooper and the barrel may then be completed with the use only of the apparatus illustrated and a hoop driving or trussing apparatus. Both machines can be readily operated by a single man. The operator may first assemble the barrel with the apparatus illustrated and later apply the remaining hoops and trusses, or if two coopers are Working, one can operate each apparatus. As a result slack barrels may be erected near the point of final use without the outlay of a considerable investment for equipment, thus saving most of the transportation charges.

In Figures l1, l2 and 13 is disclosed a modified form of slack barrel setting up machines. This apparatus, indicated in general by the letter D, incorporates a stave assembly apparatus, a windlassing apparatus (not illustrated in the drawings, but identical to that previously described) and a barrel head supporting device.

The apparatus D includes a frame plate 104 having two pair of opposed parallel angle brackets 105 secured thereto. A track member 106 is mounted on the floor outwardly of each pair of angle brackets 105. Each track member includes a base flange 107, an upright flange 109, and a horizontal inwardly extending flange 1113. A pair of vertically spaced bearing rollers 111 are pivotally supported on horizontal pivots 112 to engage above and below the horizontal flanges of the tracks 106. The frame plate 104 is thus slidably supported for limited horizontal movement upon the tracks 106. As a result the barrel may be moved during its assembly to maintain the windlassing cable ends in proper position.

A ring shaped disc 113 is mounted on the plate 104. This disc has its outer diameter the approximate internal diameter. of a barrel end. A ring 114 is supported on the base plate 104 in spaced relation tothe periphery of the disc 113. The space between the disc 113 and the ring 114 forms a groove into which the lower ends of staves 12 are inserted at the start of the slack barrel assembling operation.

A series of sector shaped quadrant plates 115 are supported on the disc 113. are provided in each plate 115 and bolts 117 extend through the slots 116 to limit the radial movement of the plates. The plates 115 have a wedge shaped edge 119 designed to engage in the croze of the staves 12 and to hold the grooves of the various staves in a common plane.

A rotatable thick disc 120 extends through an axial opening in the disc 113 and the plate 134. A flange 121 at the top of the disc 12% overlies the disc 113 and holds the disc in place. Links 122 are pivoted to each quadrant plate 115 at 123 and pivoted to the disc 120 at 124. Rotation of the disc 1213 moves the links toward or away from radial position, moving the 'quadrant plates outwardly or inwardly. v v An arm 125 is secured to the disc 120 to rotate the' same. A fluid cylinder 126 is hinged at 127 to the plate 104 and has a piston rod 129 projecting from its opposite end. The piston rod is provided with a bifurcated end 130 hinged at 131 to the arm .125. The cylinder includes a piston 132 connected to the piston rod 129. This piston may be reciprocated by air or hydraulic fluid to rotate the disc 12% and to expand the quadrant plates 115 outwardly to clamp the staves 12 against the frame ring 114.

A bracket 133 is secured to the under surface of the frame plate 104. The bracket 133 is provided with a downwardly off-set center portion 134 best seen in Radially extending slots 116' Figurel3. Theibracket portion'1-34. is provided'with' a circular aperture 1-35" therethrough axially aligned" with the disc 120: An elongated vertical cylinder 136 extends through the bracket aperture and depends downwardly therefrom. A piston 137 in :the cylinder 13 6 is provided witha piston rod 139'which extends upwardly through-an aperture 140 in'the disc 120. A disc 141 is mounted at the upper end of the rod 139. As shown in Figure- 13, apa'ir of guide rods 142 are connected to the. disc 141- and' extend through bearing .openings- 1.43

in the frame plate 104. The rods 1.42; extend through notches 144 in certain of the quadrant plates 115. The notches 144 are of suflicient size to permit expansion of the circle formed by the outer edges ofithese plates 115.

The-disc 141 is of slightly smaller diameter than the barrel ends and is] designed to support a barrel head in proper relation to the barrel by the disc 141.

In operationthe staves 12 are assembled in the circular The groove between the disc 113 and the ring 114. V edges of the. lowerends of the staves are in abutting relation. A temporary retaining hoop 146 is supported to encircle thestaves near the lower end thereof. When the staves have been assembled the windlassing loop is placeduto encircle. the upperends of the staves. This windl'assingloop is gradually tightened, the staves being bent inwardly as the edges of the staves abut one another.

Theshape of the staves acts to form the bulge at the centenof: the barrel. 7

Before the upper ends of the staves are in edgeabutting relationthe cylinder 136 is actuated by'air or hydraulic ,fiuidto raise the'piston 137 and accordingly to raise the piston rodf139 and the disc 141.

The cylinder is of propersize to elevate the disc vso that it is in proper relation to the .crozes at the upper ends of the staves- The barrel'head 145 is then placed uponth'eidisc144 the staves. tightly about the barrel head 145'. The end hoop 1471s then placed about the endof the barrel to retain the staves in proper relation. The wind- Thuswhen desired the head may be. supported claims without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

I 1 claim:

1. A slack barrel setting up device for use'fin conjunction with staves having crozed" grooves at at least' one end thereof, the device comprising a frame, a stave support including a=basehavinga ringfshap'ed grooveinm the'upper surface thereof designed to accommodate the groovedends of the staves, a generally cylindricalwall" forming the outer side of said. groove-and a plurality of outwardly movable clamping plates supported by said" base and spaced inwardly of said wall, and means for 1 and the Windlassing operation is completed, drawing lassing cable is then loosened and removed and the barrel is ready to be trussed with suitable wire rings or hoops;

As indicated in Figure 13 of the drawings, an elongated aperture 149 is provided in the floor between the tracks 106 so. as to permit movement of the cylinder 136 and the arms 142 in lowered position thereof. After the head has ben put into place the air or hydraulic fluid in. the cylinder 136 is reversed so as to lower the disc 141 to simplify the task of removing the assembled In accordance with the patentstatutes, the principles of construction and operation of the method and appa ratus. for forming slack barrels have been described, and while it has been endeavored to set. forth the best embodiment thereof, it is desired to have it understood that these are onlyillustrative thereof. and that obvious changes may be made within the scope ofthe following.

moving. said plates outwardly towardsaid' Wall andinto the crozed grooves on' said-staves, clamping said staves against said'wall; r .2. The structure describedin claim 1 and inwhich said clamping plates are .radiallymovable relative to' theaxis of said ring shaped groove.

3. The structure described in claim land in which said clamping plates are sector shaped.

4.. The structure described-in claim 1 and in means for'moving saidiclamping plates outwardly comprises a pivotal. member supportedat the axis of said ring V shaped groove, and-links pivotally connecting said pivotal member andsaid. clamping plates to move the clamping plates outwardly: uponi rotation of, the pivotal member.

in one direction.-

. 5.. A device for making barrels .from pre-crozed staves comprising. abase upon which the ends of the staves may rest, a spacing-plateoverlyingthebase'having a circular periphery, a ring concentrically spacedfrom said. plate to form-anannular-groove for receiving the end portions of .the staves extending beyond their respective crozes, said ring"v extending upwardly1 to at least the heightof the crozes, and; expandablemeans. inwardly of said ring and expandable toward said? ring for engagement into the craze ofreach'stave to urge said end portions of the staves outwardly against saidring for positively holding'each stave in apredeterminedrelation to the others.

6. The structure describedin claim 5 in which said expandable means-includes a plurality of radially movable segmentalplates havingwedgershaped arcuate edges'substantially complemental with said crozes and engageable therewith. V

7. A barrel making device including a base upon which the ends offstaves mayrrest, a generally cylindrical wall extending .upwardly from ,said base, clamping means. on.

said base spaced inwardly of said wall, said walland clamping means being spaced sufiiciently'to accommodate previously crozed staves standing o'n one end therebetween, andmeans for moving. said clamping means outwardly toward said Wall, saidclamping means extend-- ing: into the crozes at saidone end of the staves an clamping said staves against said wall.

8. The structure describedin ;claim 7 and including. A means engageable with. the staves intermediate the ends. T thereof for drawing the other ends of the staves to V gether'.

References Citedin the file of this patent 7' UNI ED STATES PATENTS 524,550 553,301 Carroll "1.... "Jan; 211, 189611 a 595,565 Greif Dec. 14, 1897.. 666,639 Bird Ian. 29; 1901' 9 999,199 Bishop Angel, 1911 1,564,043 Beugler 'Dec. 1,' 1925:

1,866,390 Bqstwick July 5,

whichthe V I Hoopes Aug. 14,1894 

